Jonathan Torgovnik’s ‘Girl Soldier,’ Life After War in Sierra Leone

“Girl” and “soldier”—two words that should never refer to a single entity. Two words that ended up describing a lot of people during the civil war in Sierra Leone, a conflict that lasted from 1991 to 2002. During that time, thousands of children were abducted and made to assimilate with rebel forces. Approximately 30 percent of those children were girls between the ages of eight and eighteen.

It might seem like the conflict ended a long time ago, but that’s part of what interests Jonathan Torgovnik. More than ten years after the war was officially over, Torgovnik, a photographer drawn to projects highlighting the aftermath of conflict, interviewed and photographed eight of the women who were abducted during the war. I asked him a few questions about the resulting short film, Girl Soldier, which can be viewed at the top of this post.

Kadiatu Koroma near the remains of her family’s home that was destroyed by rebels during the war. July 30, 2013 in Binkolo, Sierra Leone. Photograph by Jonathan Torgovnik/Reportage by Getty Images

Launch Gallery

BECKY HARLAN: What was it about this story that interested you?

JONATHAN TORGOVNIK: A lot of the work I do deals with the long-term consequences of sexual violence, the long-term consequences of conflict—if it’s war, if it’s genocide, if it’s a civil war, like in this case. Many years after a conflict is over, we sometimes forget that there are people who still have the effects of that conflict today. And these women, of course, are an example of that.

BECKY: Was there anything that surprised you when you were working on this project?

JONATHAN: Just seeing the women in the village, and walking with them, and talking to them, they seem to be very confident women, very strong women. When they sit in front of you and tell you that, for instance, one of them was forced to kill her brother to stay alive because if she would not do it they would kill her; when you heard from these women that they were forced to take arms, that they were forced to do these things to innocent people, and they were innocent themselves, that was quite shocking.

I wanted to show diversity in the stories of what the girls went through during the time they were abducted in the bush. Although it turned out that a lot of them went through similar horrors in different places. Most of them were with different militia groups, but a lot of the things that they were forced to do—to kill people or maim people, or steal, or burn houses, happened with each one of these groups in different places. This was not just an isolated phenomenon, but it was quite characteristic of how things were going on with these militia groups during the civil war.

BECKY: As a photographer, you often work on intense stories like this one. How does that affect you personally?

JONATHAN: It affects me greatly. I get very emotional when I hear these stories. But mostly, what it gives me is strength. I’m just in awe of the strength these women have and how they’re able to still survive, still raise children, still provide for themselves with all these difficulties and challenges they face. It’s not so much about my emotions, it’s more about how they are being able to tell their stories. I’m kind of a messenger. I collect the stories and then I try to get the public to listen because the women don’t have any channels to get their stories told outside of their community.

BECKY: Why did you decide to make a film rather than just taking photos?

JONATHAN: When you hear and see that woman telling her own story on camera, and then combine that with some of the visuals, the images I made, I think it’s the most effective way to do it. It’s not just taking a picture and reflecting on the picture and maybe reading a caption that contains the information that the woman said. It’s actually hearing and seeing that woman say those things. At the same time, I feel that if it would be only a talking head saying those things, it would still be powerful because what they say is just extraordinary.

BECKY: You’ve really emphasized the resilience of these women, even saying that it’s more apparent here than in other situations you’ve worked in. Why do you think that’s the case for the women in Sierra Leone?

JONATHAN: I think one of the things that helped them heal to the extent they are healing today was this group camaraderie they have—there are many of these girls that have come back to the village and have gone through similar experiences. I think right after the war ended there were some organizations that came into the villages to try to help them build a system of self-counseling, so they come together as a group to exchange stories with each other and just discuss their problems. I think having that really helped them restart their lives. And in the case of this specific village, the fact that the chief was quite sympathetic to what happened and was an advocate for them within the community also really helped them in terms of gaining confidence and trying to restart their lives.

BECKY: What do you hope comes out of the project?

JONATHAN: My main goal is to shed light on the stories of these women who are in a very small village, in a very isolated place, and have to still deal with a lot of layers, a lot of levels of trauma that they need to overcome because of what happened to them. By collecting the testimonies of these women and presenting them to the world through different channels, by whatever means I have as a photographer to get the voices of these women out there, that makes me feel that more attention will be given to these communities and to these women. It’s a little bit naive, but hopefully this type of work can help make some kind of change in future conflicts.

There are 16 Comments. Add Yours.

Patrick O’Leary
August 24, 2014

Mr. Torgovnik, I just stumbled onto the Binkolo video. Having been a Peace Corps guy in the village in 1867-68 and then returned to the village in 2004 I am familar with much of the story. I have hopes that the village is in better shape that it appears in the video. The last home I had in the village, in 2004 was usable. The last home I had in Makeni was burned during the war. What might be the current population of Binkolo and Safro-Limba. Mr. Patrick

lou lennear
July 14, 2014

War is a very terrible thing however soon and I mean very soon war and the troubles mankind see today will soon vanish.

Isabel Hernandez Tibau
June 25, 2014

que de algún modo, algún día, serán sacadas de ese infierno.

Yvonne
June 24, 2014

To lose your childhood amidst the throes of blood and conflict is truly tragic and like you said, has lifelong effects. And although it is only human nature to admire those who can pick up where they have left off after such a horrendous experience, I wonder if this reaction is somewhat premature. Not only are these women lacking a healthy emotional childhood development (eg.learning crucial elements such as healthy intimacy, friendship, self-care, confidence etc) but they are also plagued with PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder. So, ultimately, unless there is immense intervention by other emotionally-healthy individuals, the children of these women victims will most likely suffer in their own development because the parents may not have the capacity to provide them with the proper emotional requirements. So, should we really admire that these women have decided to have children? In my opinion, the major feeling I have here is PURE ANGER towards these violent war-making abductors. They have ruined the lives of these women and possibly future generations to come…

@ JONATHAN- You are telling a real story which must be told and, in a manner which is apt… RESPECT for u and for all those girl soldiers… I will try my best that everyone knows about it.

jonathan gabriel
June 24, 2014

The strength of a woman, is not an ordinary strength–woman gave birth to those rebels who maltreated them, and, even took care, nurtured them for nine months…

John Marlique
June 24, 2014

I’m from Sierra Leone. I didn’t witness the war. Went back after it’d ended. Even then the horrific scars of this unspeakable event are unimaginable. Thank God it’s over!

Robert
June 24, 2014

I watched this video a few minutes ago and now I am shaking. I set aside my refrigerator snack and give this comment my full attention and energy. I went online to learn about the place where these eight women lived–Sierra Leone. I saw several maps online and learned what I could learn in this hour of the morning (2 a.m.). The video will not let makes it hard to push away from the laptop. A story full of horror–a good story that lets the eight women tell the story and thereby the story is real–more real than my memory of the news coverage–more real than the online summaries of the civil war. Such violence should not be allowed to happen again. No, never again.

Poovadee
June 24, 2014

It’s so painful. I wish they’d find peace in their hearts one day.

Pat
June 22, 2014

How powerfully painful on so many levels. My sisters, I pray for you and I admire you.

Tan Kok Heng
June 20, 2014

Facinating

Jim
June 19, 2014

The story and pictures both vividly coney the horror and the frailty at the intersection of humanity and war.

Donna
June 19, 2014

Beautifully told. The whole world should see this. I really didn’t know it. Keep highlighting what matters.

Rahma
June 19, 2014

really sad

Magdy
June 18, 2014

Anyone have a brain so what’s different between us and animal I want say for anyone let your mind working